From: "Michael D. Crawford" 
To: atm{at}shore.net
Reply-To: "Michael D. Crawford" 


It's probably not too hard, if you understand a design that a genetic
algorithm has produced, to optimize it by hand.

What the great value in these algorithms is, in coming up with stuff that
you've never thought of.

One kind of genetic algorithm can write programs.  The "genes"
are a sequence of program opcodes.  If the program produces the desired
output, then it survives to reproduce.

I have heard that there is a company somewhere around Palo Alto California
that has a cluster of a thousand or so computers running genetic
algorithms.

Every now and then a novel answer to some problem pops out and they file a
patent on it.  The company makes its money licensing these patents.

You can see how this is very computationally intensive, while there are
also lots of opportunities for optimization.  Success with this would
involve designing the system to be efficient and effective.

Mike
--
Michael D. Crawford
GoingWare Inc. - Expert Software Development and Consulting http://www.goingware.com/
crawford{at}goingware.com

      Tilting at Windmills for a Better Tomorrow.

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